HI EVERyBOdy!!!
I don`t even know where to start. This is the weirderst thing I think has ever happened to me. You guys probably don't even feel that different, but i'm over here, just like I don't even know how to explain it. So talking to you guys was pretty much the best. It's hard to explain your experiences but it's sure fun to try! For the most part my plane ride went just fine other than just not being able to sleep at all. On the plane to London I was able to sit next to this guy and answer a whole bunch of questions. Our plane was delayed on the runway, so we ended up just sitting in the plane with the engines off for over an hour. So I just chilled there and talked to him about life and I don't even really know what, but it was cool to answer his questions about missionaries and what they do. (it may have limited my effectiveness however when he became drunk on the plane though) He actually thought I was cool enough that in the London airport he found me and came over and talked to me again! Woot! Apparently I looked completely dead when we got to London which is probably true. It's sooo crazy to just walk around and realize that you stick out like a soar thumb. I'm still not used to having people stare at me all the time. I think it really stressed me out at the beginning because you know everyone is watching every little thing you do as a missionary. Anyways, there are tons of weird little rants that I could do on things but don't really have time for right now. When I said I wouldn't have as much time to write on Pdays that was a huge understatement. I could do a whole bunch of rants on the crazy people I've already ran into though :) (did you know its hard to type with a norwegian keyboard. im prolly going to get really lazy with my apostorphes because they are really hard to type on the keyboard)
Ok so more stuff. by the time I boarded the plane for norway i thought I was going to throw up. so I was happy when I was put on the window seat with another missionary next to me so I didnt feel obligated to talk to someone. I could just sleep. Which I did until we were over land in Norway. When we were coming down into the airport in Olso it was like 40% cloudy in the sky which was PERFECT (not for flying but for sightseeing) It was the coolest flight Ive been on ever! It was sooo gorgeous. Anywas, You guys need to tell me where the name whetten comes from cause everyone asks me and no one can figure it out. (including me) I remember the first time they came over the intercom and started speaking Norwegian to us, I know its classic missionary but you really are just like, oh snap. We met president, and that was cool, and then we drove for an hour to get to the mission home. The mission president and his wife are sooo nice to us. She made us so much food, and pretty much said just go downstairs and sleep. I love the bedding they use. Next morning they did orientation, and we went to the mission office and got a whole bunch of papers and instructions on money and stuff and then they took us to the streets of oslo and dropped us with some ap's and zone learders. My first contact was with elder weaver (from the mtc) and elder williams. Even though oslo speaks Bokmål, the nice kind of norwegian, I still have a really hard time understanding anyone. It was cool though. My and weaver taught a whole short lesson by ourselves, and we actually got a return appointment for the actual oslo elders to use (they didnt give it to me boo). It was the scariest thing of my life. But by the end of the four hours of being completely lost and just talking to people I was much less scared, and just felt peace that I could figure all of this out. Later that night we had a fantastic dinner and then we were all interviewed by the president. Thursday, we drove out to the young single adults center in the middle of the city (which is where I spend most of my time now) and waited for our companions. Apparantely norwegians eat a lot of pizza. I got so lost when we drove to the train station to grab my companion. Like, uber lost. I honestly couldnt tell you which way is north right now. My companinon elder anderson is actually a super cool guy and Ive already learned a ton from him. I cant quite figure him out though, and I think he thinks im a weirdo geeky guy. Thats alright for now. Its hard when you cant speak to many people in Norwegian. Though on friday he was in an interview with the mission president and I actually talked to some members at the center by myself in norwegian for like 30 minutes. They were actually pretty suprised I had only been there for 3 days.
At the center is where we do tons of what we do. currently it is where I will be teaching investigators, im going to be teaching a language class in a couple weeks (scary) and there is a whole bunch of single activities here. On saturday, we picked up this investigator named Mortin, who wants to learn more about Jesus Christ, and has had it kinda rough in the past. The thing thats coolest is that he is actually norwegian which makes all the missionaries really excited because it helps bulid up the churhc here more when you can find actual norwegians. He came to a special singles ward meeting here at the center (church usually isnt here) (btw im at the center currently so no we dont have computers in our apt. Our apt is actually just a single room, maybe a little smaller than the size of the front room in matthews room. We have basically nothing to cook with, and so far all ive eaten is kjøttdeig (ground chicken) mixed with eggs, and veggies. ( I put cheese on mine.) oohhh and the chocolate milk is sooooooo good!!! Ah. heaven. and I got some way good yogurt to. Anyways, if you have more questions about my apt your going to have to ask :) ) back to mortin he came to church and he said he felt the spirit though he thinks hes kindove like a prophet (in the way that we think he may have had some sort of revelation) so were going to have to talk to him about that tonight when we meet with him before we take him to FHE. While we were waiting for him to show up though there was this other guy named alexander who showed up just completely randomly. Comepletely. He saw the sign that said Jesus on it and came in. He is sort of baptist but he doesnt really belong to a specific church right now. He though we were way cool, but he was kinda a creeper with all the girls. So we are going to teach him later this week. I was scared out of my pants mostly because Elder anderson took Mortin so I got this new guy I dont even know. He was like: "k you take him" And I was like... what? Snap. im the missionary huh. anyways after sunday school i talked with him for like 10 minutes and taught him aobut the book of mormon and he seemed super interested then. After when Elder anderson and I were talking to him though he was kindof different, and he wants to show us this online preacher he listens to and anyways... hes weird. I cant really tell you everything about everyone. but it was cool to get a new investigator that I personally set up an apointment with and taught just completely randomly. It was cool that we were here also because all of the other missionaries in oslo went to the oslo ward that day.
I dont think my feet have ever hurt more than when we just tracted for pretty much forver. mmm. yup this is fun. But it wierd because both me and my companion are new to this area so everything we are doing we have to build from scratch. I still feel weird and like im not myself yet, so hopefully i can get rid of that soon. I love all of you guys. That was a big bllalahh. Ask questions if you want to know specifics about anything else. I dont realy have time like you guys to give you my life story so yeah. Im doing a little better everyday and this is soo crazy! Through it all though, im soo excited to serve. I still dont really know what to expect other than just keep going. :) Good luck to all of you with everything! I really Love you guys sooo much! Im excited to hear how things are going, and I hope that my life is exciting enough to tell you guys too! AH! Im a missionary!
Super lots of Love,,,
Eldste Whetten
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